Seniors, PWDs, expectant mothers can vote early
SPECIAL LANE FROM 5 A.M.-7 AM. ON ELECTION DAY
SENIOR citizens, persons with disability, and expecting mothers — along with companions to assist them — can vote from 5 to 7 a.m. to vote in the May 2025 elections, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced last week.
COMELEC Chair George Erwin Garcia, who was in Dagupan for a mock elections exercise on August 20, said this is intended to give vulnerable sectors a chance to avoid long lines and crowds.
To further minimize crowding, voting booths will also be set up in shopping malls near voting precincts, adding that overseas Filipinos can vote already online without the need to be at the embassies.
Garcia assured that online voting will be secure and tamper-proof, with a three-way authentication system, including a password.
The new automated counting machines (ACM) are designed to accommodate all types of voters, including those from vulnerable sectors.
He aid 110,000 ACMs will be deployed across 104,000 precincts nationwide, with 6,000 machines on standby as contingency units.
The machines are rented from a South Korean company at a cost of P149,000 per machine, which is cheaper than purchasing them at P155,000 per unit, allowing the government to save P800 million on maintenance and upgrades.
Garcia also assured that votes will be protected from hacking since internet access is not required for the machines’ operations. (Ahikam Pasion)
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